Safety razor



Jan. 8 1924- N. sTA'rHAM SAFETY RAZOR Filed Julyy 15v 1920 @htm/VWPatented Jan. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES NOEL STATHAM, 0F IBVINGTON, NEW YORK.

SAFETY RAZOR.

Application filed July 15, 1920. Serial No. 396,436.

To all whom l? may concern:

Be it known that I, NOEL STATHAM, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and resident of Trvington, county of Westchester, State of NewYork, have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating to SafetyRazors, of which the following is a specification, taken in connectionwith the accom# panying drawing.

This invention relates especially torazors which may be of the safetyrazor type and with which stropping devices may cooperate so that therazor blade lrnay be stropped without disengaging it from the bladeholder and cooperating handle which support it in shaving position. Thehandle which preferably has a dished up or concave pivotal portion mayadvantageously be formed of resilient sheet metal and have its lower orgripping portion shaped to be readily gripped by the operator. A hingesupport having a similarly concaved pivotal portion cooperation with andpreferablyv facing the pivotal portion of the handle, may be operativelyconnected therewith by a fixed or adjustable pivot allowing the swingingmovement of ithese parts. This hinge support preferably carries a hingepin or device at some distance from'the pivot, so as to connect a bladeholder to the support in such a way that it can fold either intoangularly projecting shaving position or down into substantially theplane of the handle when desired. The blade holder which may haveresilient gripping fingers or portions to securely engage or hold arazor blade, is preferably of the universal type adapted to accommodatepractically any standard thin safety razor blade. A guard cooperatingwith the blade holder may advantageously be pivoted to the hinge pin andresilient or other connecting clips or devices may securely hold thisguard in cooperation with the blade holder and razor blade for shaving.A detacher which may be loosely pivoted or connected to the guard mayhave an integral detacher lever projecting for convenient engagement bythe operator, so as to swing the detacher against the blade holder andforce it away from the guard for stropping purposes for instance. It issometimes desirable to have the blade holder held securely in itsangularly projecting shaving position and for this purpose a tighteningnut or device may be arranged on the hinge to force these hinge portionstightly and substantially rigidly together or in some cases definitelyinterlocking latched devi-cesmay be used for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic wayvarious illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. l is ajperspective viewV showing an illustrative razor in shavingposition.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding jtransverse section thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the razor with the blade holder swung upinto the plane of the handle.

Fig. 4l is a similar detail View showing the guardv swung down againstthe handle.l

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the connecting clip taken substantiallyalong the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 6 is a side View of another illustrative razor. v

Fig. 7 is a transverse section thereof, taken substantially along thelines 7 7 of Fig. 6. l

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view of another illustrative razor.

Fig. 8a is an enlarged detailshowing the latching devices. Y y

Fig. 9 is aside view thereof showingv the bladevr holder. Vfoldedoutward intov substantially the plane of the handleand e Fig. 10 is arear side view thereof.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. l to 5,the razor handle may in many cases be advantageously formed of resilientsheet metal such as brass which may `be* electroplated with nickel,silver, etc., if desired. This handle l is preferably formed with a.dished or concavepivotal .portionl adjacent the pivot 2 which mayconnect thereto through the corresponding dished or concaved portion,the hinge support 3 ofsimilar resilient sheet metal if desired. Thehinge'pin 23 may be mounted on this hinge supportinl any suitable way asby bendingsuitable portions 4 of the hinge support around the fpin, theintermediate portion of sheet metal `17 being left in extending-positionas indicated in Figs. l and 2. gThe blade 4holder 6 of similar sheetmetal if desired, may have one or more integral portions such as 5 bentaround this hinge pin and' forcibly engag ing the resilient extensionl7ofthe support in some cases, so as to frictionallyhold the bladeholder in any angular position 1n which it may be folded. Asindioatedmore in detail in F ig. 4, the blade holder` may have the integral orother resilient gripping lingers 9, adapted to engage and grip a razorblade, the blade holder having 1n some cases an offset portion 7adjacent its free edge. The blade holder is preferably of such size andshape as to accommodate substantially all of the standard safety razorblades of the thin type and' the curved ends of the blade holder may beformed with locating flanges such as 26, while locating pins orprojections 25 mayengage and align some thicker or backed razor blades,which may be used in this holder.

The guard ll of any suitable construction and material may in some casesbe formed of resilient sheet metal having the integral hinge portionsl0, extending around the hinge pin 23, while connecting clips ordevices, such as the integral clips 24 may be formed on this guard tomore or less einbrace or snap around the edge oi the blade holder asshown in Fig. 5, so as to detachably hold these parts in cooperationduring shaving for example. rlhe guard may of course be formed with acurved guiding lip l2 adjacent the edge of the razor blade and suitablecleaning slots or openings may be formed in this part of the guard. Inmany cases it is desirable to have a detaching device to quickly detachor disengage the guard and blade holder and as shown in Figs'. 2 and 4Lthe detacher'A of resilient sheet metal may have its integral detacherlever 13 extend through a slot 19 in the guard, so as to projectslightly beyond the edge l2 of the guard if desired. When the parts arein the position shown in Fig. 2, forcible downward pressure on thedetacher lever swings the detacher up againstthe blade holder or bladeso as to force the same away from the guard and allow these parts toswing away from each other about the hinge pin 23. It desired thisdetaoher lever may be formed with shoulders 18 loosely engaged by aretainer 58 which may be soldered or otherwise secured to the guard, soas to permanently connect the detacher thereto.

The guard and holder together with the razor blade may be folded ormoved about the hinge pin into any desired position and may be movedupward into angularly projecting shaving position as indicated in Figs.lland 2. The blade holder and support may be swung `about the pivot 2into any desired angular position with respect to the handle, so that anangular or draw cut may be secured if desired. In some cases it isadvantageous to form angular aligning devices or detents in the hingesupport and handle and for this purpose integral stamped up projectionsor recesses may be employed such as 2O and 2l on the hinge support inFig. 3 and 22 on the cooperating handle as shown in Fig. 2. lt isdesirable to hold the razor in such angularly extended position as isshown in Fig. 2 and for this purpose a tightening or locking nut such asthe cap nut 16 may advantageously be used on the end of the hinge pin23, the opposite end out' the hinge pin being formed with a head 55 andwith a lin or projection 52 engaging the part l() if desired. Byscrewing up this tightening nut 16 the hinge portions oi' the device maybe tightly forced together so as to prevent undesirable movement afterthe razor blade has been adjusted and the tightening nut may either beleft in this position or loosened when the blade or guard are to befolded into another position.

Figs. 6 and 'i' show another form of the device in which the bladeholder 6 having in some cases the laterally projecting edges 28 may beformed with integral hinge por tions 85 extending around the hinge pin23 and connected to the large area resilient gripping portion 29 whichmay have one or more Haring inserting portions 30 adjacent to the bladeedge if desired. Either part of this blade holder may be Jformed withintegral or other blade aligners 33 in such position as to engage someof the usual holes 32 formed in the razor blades such as 31, so that theblade may be definitely held in proper position when slipped or forcedinto the blade holder.

As shown in Figs. 8 to 10, the blade holder 6 may in some cases beformed with definite locking depressions or notches 36 in its hingeportions 5 which may cooperate with a rictional or positive holdingdevice as the hinge latch 37 which may be slidingly or otherwise looselymounted inthe hinge support as by extending through the slots 42, 43therein. A spring such as 39 may be connected to or extend around thepivot r2 and may engage the projection 38 on the latch, so as tonorn'ially force it into the locking depressions 36 and hold the bladeholder up in its angularly projecting shaving position. By forming theselocking depressions in the inclined or ratchet form shown in YFig. 8a,the blade holder may be ,folded or moved upward freely, the latchsnapping past these projections, while preventing' retrograde movementof the blade holder. The latch may however be manually withdrawn as bypushing-downward on the latch end il so as to release the latch andallow the blade holder to be folded down into substantially the plane oithe handle. A more positive form of connecting de vice is shown inconnection with this razor and these connecting clips 47 may asindicated in F ig. 9 be pivoted to the guard, so that when forced inwardinto holding po'- sition their ends or holding portions 45 lock aroundthe blade holder, to positively hold llt) closure the invention is notof course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what isdesired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appendedclaims.

l. In safety razors a handle, a hinge support pivoted to said handle, ahinge pin einbraced by integral portions of said hinge support, a sheetmetal blade holder having portions extending around said hinge pin andhaving resilient gripping portions to engage and hold a razor blade, asheet metal guard having pivotal portions extending around said hingepin and having resilient connecting clip devices to engage said bladeholder and a tightening nut on said hinge pin to force together andreleasably hold the hinge portions of said blade holder and guard andprevent undesirable angular movement thereof about said hinge pin.

2. In safety razors a handle, a hinge support pivoted to said handle, ahinge pin embraced by portions of said hinge support, a blade holderhaving portions extending around said hinge pin and having resilientgripping portions to engage and hold a` razor blade, a guard havingpivotal portions extending around'said hinge pin and a tightening deviceto force together and releasably hold the hinge portions of said bladeholder and guard.

3. In safety razors a sheet metal handle having a concave pivotalportion, a hinge support having a cooperating concave pivotal portionfacing the concave pivotal portion of said handle and pivotallyconnected thereto, a blade holder hinged to said hinge support andhaving locating flanges and proj ections, a guard pivotally connected tosaid blade holder and formed with connecting clips and a loosely pivoteddetacher between said guard and blade holder and having a connecteddetacher lever extending through said guard for operating said detacher.

4. In safety razors a sheet metal handle, a hinge support pivotallyconnected thereto, a blade holder hinged to said hinge support andhaving locating flanges and projections, and a loosely pivoted detacherbetween said guard and blade holder and having a connected detacherlever extending through said guard for operating said detacher.

5. In safety razors a handle having a con-- cave pivotal portion, agripping blade holder adjustably connected to said handle and havinglocatingv projections, a guard pivotally connected to said blade holderand formed with resilient connecting clips and a loosely pivoteddetacher between said guard and blade holder and having a connecteddetacher lever extending out from between said blade holder and saidguard for operating said detacher.'

6. In safety razors a handle, a blade holder adjustably connected tosaid handle, a guard pivotally connected to said blade holder and formedwith resilient connecting clips and a loosely connected pivoted detacherbetween said guard and blade holder and having a connected detacherlever ex tending out from between said blade holder and said guard foroperating said detacher.

7. In safety razors a sheet metal handle having a dished up concavepivotal portion and an adjacent projection, a hinge support having acooperating concave pivotal portion facing the concave pivotal portionof said handle and pivotally connected thereto, ablade holder hinged tosaid hinge sup-- port and having a portionfrictionally engagin saidhandle projection and a guard pivota ly connected to said blade holder.

8. In safety razors a handle, a universal gripping blade holder adaptedto receive practically any standard thin safety razor blade adjustablyconnected to said handle and having locating edge flanges andintermediate projections and a guard pivotally connected to said bladeholder and forme with connecting clips.

9. In safety razors a handle having a con nected hinge pin, a sheetmetal blade holder having portions extending around said hinge pin andhavin resilient gripping fingers to engage and liold a razor blade andhaving locating portions to cooperate with and locate a razor blade withrelation thereto, a sheet metal guard having portions extending aroundsaid hinge pin and a tightening device on said hinge pin to forcetogether and releasably hold together said hinge pin and the hingeportions of said blade holder and guard and prevent undesirable angularmovement thereof about said hinge 1n.

10. connected hinge pin, a blade holder having portions extending aroundsaid hinge pin, a guard having portions extending around said hinge pinand a tightening device on said hinge pin to force together andreleasably hold together said hinge pin and the hinge portions of saidblade holder andr guard and prevent undesirable angular movement thereofabout said hinge pin.

NOEL STATHAM.

n safety razors a handle having a`

